Social Media Mistakes You Must Avoid

January 25, 2016

Social Media Mistakes You Must Avoid

Using social media is now essential if you want to build your brand’s online presence. However, many business owners make the mistake of believing there’s nothing to it. You already provide customer service through other channels, and you use other marketing methods too. So how hard can it be to add on something else? But the nature of social media is very different to other forms of communication. It can be easy to post something quickly without thinking. People can react very quickly too, and before you know it, you could have a social media disaster on your hands. There are many mistakes you need to avoid. Start with the ones below.

Rogue Employees

If there’s one major disaster you need to avoid, it’s an employee going rogue. There are some cases that stand out from prominent brands. It often happens when someone loses their job and feels they have nothing to lose. An employee with access to social media accounts uses them to air their grievances. In some cases, no one else has the passwords they need to lock the other person out. Obviously, you can’t predict if someone might react this way when they’re upset. But you can help to avoid this scenario. First, make sure more than one person has access to your social media accounts. And when someone has to be let go, ensure that the passwords are changed immediately.

Rude Replies

We’re all only human, and sometimes bad reviews and comments can be upsetting. But you always need to reign in your instinct to pick a fight. If someone leaves a negative comment, you can respond. But you have to take the high road so that you look professional. If you struggle with this, you might benefit from using an online reputation management company. They can help you to answer all the feedback you receive with dignity and nothing but helpful replies. When someone is angry, your aim should be to defuse the situation, not escalate it.

One Sided Use

Remember that it’s called social media for a reason. You should be using it to communicate with people, not to post into the ether. As well as talking, you should be listening and engaging people in conversation. Don’t make the mistake of only posting about your products. Connect with other businesses and your customers as much as you can.

Treating Every Site The Same

Each social media site is different and should be used in appropriate ways. You can’t use Facebook in the same way that you do Twitter. Some platforms have obviously different approaches. For example, Instagram is clearly image based. But you also have to distinguish between different platforms where you can use a variety of content. Learn the differences between the sites you use, as well as which ones are right for you. Remember that you don’t have to use them all.

Making some mistakes on social media can give your reputation a knock. Try to avoid them by learning all appropriate etiquette for each site before you get started.